Pipe-protector.



C. ELKIN.

PIPE PROTECTOR. APPL'IoATIoN FILED 00T. 24, 190s.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

A/mi

4quently likely to be frozen in very -the accumulation of frost therein,

CHARLES ELKIN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

:PIPE-r'noTEcTon- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 15,1912.

Application filed October 24, 1908. Serial No. 459,331.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ELKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Protectors, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

It is well known that in cities and towns situated in cold climates the gas and water supply pipes located in the groundV are frleco d weather, such freezing interfering with the proper supply of gas in gas pipes,

and the water supply pipes being frequently burst by being frozen; or, if this does not occur, the flow of water in the pipe is frequently entirely obstructed by ice.

This invention has for its object to -obviate such diiiculties by providing means whereby a water or gas supply pipe connecting a main with a dwelling house or other building may be prevented from freezing when such supply pipe runs above a possible frost line in the ground. The invention is, however, capable of use wherever it may be desired to protect a water or gas service pipe fromthe effect of extreme cold. This object is accomplished by surrounding the supply or service pipe with a non-conducting, vacuum chamber of suitable extent, such chamber being afforded bya large pipe inclosing the supply pipe and between which pipes there is a very considerable space from which the air is to be exhausted so far as possible, leaving what may be termed a vacuum chamber between the two pipes which will effectively protect the inclosed supply pipe from the effects of frost. The large protecting pipe will preferably inclose the supply pipe allor nearly all the way from the main to a point within the cellar or basement wall of the dwelling house or other building, and will be provided, within the building, with an exhaust valve properly constructed, as by a suitable nipple, for the attachment to an exhaust pump by means of which the air may be exhausted from the protecting'or non-.conducting vacuum chamber, and which valve will be conveniently accessible at all times so that a suitable vacuum may be maintained. It is well known that even if a practically cornpletepvacuurn be established within an iron owing to vessel such vacuum will not be maintained indefinitely owing to the fact that leakage is likely to occur either through the pores of the iron or through-such joints as must necessarily exist; and for this reason it is necessary, in order that the invention may be practically successful, that the exhaust valve should be conveniently accessible, so that, at suitable intervals, an exhaust pump may be readily applied in order that such a vacuum as will effectively serve the intended purpose may be maintained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view illustrative of the invention in its entirety, Fig. 2 is a view, on a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the preferred construction Within the wall of a building, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one of the struts or spiders for supporting the supply pipe within its inclosing protecting pipe.

Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes what may be supposed to be a water main, extending from which is a supply pipe 13 connecting said main with a building. Surrounding the supply pipe 13 is a protecting supply pipe, so as to afford, between the two pipes, a very considerable space from which the air is to be exhausted to establish a nonconducting vacuum. The supply pipe is preferably maintained in a suitable central position within the protecting pipe by means of spider supports 14. The protecting pipe preferably runs from a point at or near the mainA 12 to a point within the'wall 15 to the building to be supplied. Owing.

to the large size of the main and the current constantly maintained therein the main is not liable to be frozen; and moreover mains frequently run deeper in the ground than the supply pipes, or portions of them, and are thus better protected from frost.

The protecting pipe 14 is preferably provided at its inner end, within the building, with a head 16 which will preferably be attached to the said protecting pipe by a screw joint, and which will be provided with a suitable check valve 17 surrounded by a nipple 18 closed by a screw cap 19. Also the said head 16 will preferably have a central threaded opening receiving a threaded portion of a connecting pipe 20 suitably joined to the supply pipe 13, and forming a continuation thereof, by a coupling 21 of ordinary construction. The protecting pipe pipe 14, of much larger diameter than the 14 will preferably be provided at its outer end, adjacent to the main, with a head 22 similar to the head 16, excepting that the head 22 need not be provided with a valve, said head affording a tight closure at the outer end of the protecting pipe.

It will be understood that the joints between the heads 16 and 22 and the protecting and supply pipes will be made practically air tight by being suitably leaded or otherwise tightly closed, so that with the aid of a powerful exhaust pump a nearly perfect vacuum may be established in the protecting chamber 23 within the protecting pipe, and said vacuum may be maintained by the application of an exhaust pump to the valve on the head 16 at such intervals as may be necessary.

The invention is not to be understood as being limited to the details herein shown, as these may be varied, within the province of mechanical skill, without departing Jfrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

'1. The combination with a fluid supply pipe, of a protecting pipe surrounding said supply pipe and of relatively large diameter -being to afford a vacuum chamber between the two pipes, said protecting pipe vbeing provided at its ends with heads or caps having screwthreaded connections with said supply pipe, to provide tight closures, one of said hea s or caps being located within a wall of a building and provided with a check valve to which an exhaust pump may be applied. 2. The combination with a fiuid supply pipe, of a protecting pipe surrounding said supply pipe and of relatively large diameter to afford a vacuum chamber between the two Pipes,

threaded connections with said supply pipe, to provide tight closures, one of sald hea or caps being located within a wall of a building and provided with a check valve to which an exhaust pumpmay be applied, the inner threaded part of said supply pipe formed as a separate section which is coupled, as by a sleeve 21, tothe other section of said pipe.

said protecting pipe being provided, at its ends with heads or caps having screw- In testimony whereofI affix my signature,

witnesses.

CHARLES ELKIN.

Witnesses: y

HENRY S. WORTHMAN,

MORRIS BUns'rEIN.

in presence of two 

